Plantae
Venus Flytrap (Dionaea Muscipula) The Venus Flytrap is one of the 550+ carnivorous plant species in the world and arguably the most famous. Found in the south-eastern coast of the United States, it is most recognized by it's distinct shape, with fang-like leaves along the rim of the plant. It has 6 trigger hairs on the inner section of the plant, and when touched, it snaps shut, killing the prey, and digestion occurs (generally a 6-12 day process, depending on the size and environment). The Venus Flytrap usually lives in habitats low in nitrogen, where most plants generally would not survive, such as bogs, swamps and other wetland areas, therefore it has adapted to gather its necessary nutrients from animals, since the soils of those habitats are too acidic and do not supply enough nutrients. Etymology The 'Venus' part of the name comes from the goddess Venus (Aphrodite in Greek mythology), known for being the goddess of love. It was named Venus because of how it lures prey using its alluring smell, similar to how the goddess Venus tempted men using her beauty. The 'Flytrap' comes from its habit of preying on insects, with flies being a major target. Life Cycle It takes a Venus Flytrap roughly 4 - 6 years to reach maturity from a seed. In the spring, the Venus Flytrap produces white flowers which, if not cut off, would result in pollination and the production of several seeds. However, most cultivars of Venus Flytraps often cut off the flowers as flowering reduces the rate of trap production. The Venus Flytrap can live for 20 to 30 years if cultivated in proper conditions, if the flower is allowed to grow, it will produce small black seeds which will start the life cycle all over again. Physical Attributes A mature Venus Flytrap are usually completely green outside, and the inner part of the green are usually green, or red and sometimes may have a shade of yellow. The trap's size can grow to as large as over half an inch. Dietary Habits The main diet of the Venus Flytrap is insects and arachnids. However, like other plants, Venus Flytraps also utilizes photosynthesis to obtain necessary components, such as sugar, to survive. The reason why they have to prey on animals is because many other essential nutrients are hard to obtain in the harsh environment that they live in. Such nutrients include nitrogen and minerals like potassium, and magnesium. Venus Flytraps and other carnivorous plants have adapted to obtain these nutrients from animal, just like how carnivores obtain energy by eating other animals. Trap Mechanism The Venus Flytrap's Trap has adapted well in the test of survival, it is one of the most unique system on the planet, and even to this day, scientists are still trying to find solid evidence as to how the Flytrap's trap actually work. the dominating theory so far is that it has to do with the liquid pressure within the leaf that causes it to shut. The leaf consists of two flaps, 6 trigger hairs on the inner side of the leaf and spiky needle-like leaves protruding along the rim, the leaf is triggered when 2 trigger hair has been touched within a 20 second time frame. Then the trap snaps shut, trapping the insect within, the leaf seals itself air-tight and begins to release, acidic fluid to digest the insect. The digestion usually takes up to 10 days, after that the digestive fluid gets reabsorbed in to the plant, and the leaf reopens leaving the remains of the insect's exoskeleton. Video thumb|300px|right|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7eQKSf0LmY References Venus Flytrap. Wikipedia - The free encyclopedia. Retrieved November 10, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_flytrap How Venus Flytrap works. How stuff works. Retrieved November 10, 2010, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/botany/venus-flytrap.htm The mysterious Venus Flytrap. Botanical Society of America. Retrieved November 10, 2010, from http://www.botany.org/bsa/misc/carn.html